ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To validate the clinical indicators of the nursing diagnosis of Ineffective protection in adolescents with cancer based on diagnostic accuracy measurements. DESIGN AND METHODS: Measurements of sensitivity and specificity for the indicators were calculated using latent class analysis with random effects in a sample of 127 adolescents between 10 and 19â¯years of age. RESULTS: The prevalence of diagnosis was estimated at 93.7%. The indicators deficient immunity and weakness showed higher sensitivity values, whereas opportunistic infections, recurrent infections, insomnia, mucosal lesions, and coughing showed high specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Seven indicators were clinically validated. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The validation of clinical indicators provides nurses with the knowledge of useful signs and symptoms to identify early spectra of a nursing diagnosis or confirm their presence in a specific population. In clinical practice, this knowledge contributes to an accurate diagnostic inference and the planning of nursing interventions directed to the idiosyncrasies of individuals.
